I have a WiFi network with several mobile devices/ smartphones (e.g.: Samsung). I know their IPs, but wish to identify them programatically from my PC without installing any app on them (e.g.: "noldS2" - "GT 9100" - "Android 2.3.5" .. friendly name - device name - os)

there were various methods described on the internet, but ActiveSync seems to be the best. I've investigated and attempted to connect at the devices using OpenNETCF, RAPI [..] without luck. (also investigated other methods like port scans which seem less accurate)

how could i use ActiveSync to programatically identify the mobile devices connected to WiFi from my PC without needing special apps or permissions from them?

The only way to communicate with an Android device without installing an app is via a USB cable and using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) you must first enable USB debugging on the device though. This would not tell you what the device is rather give you a unique ID for each device.

Over the ADB you can push apps directly to the device to make it show the information you are after but it is not possible without another app.

Your wifi communication idea would require an app already installed on the phone listening on a port and replying with the information you wanted.

I hope this helps or at least saves you wasting more time with ActiveSync!

unfortunately, only WiFi connection is possible. As an example, Samsung Kies offers possibility to connect on WiFi via ActiveSync (Galaxy S2); the connection needs to be initiated from the phone. Monitoring communication, i saw some ports opened by the phone to identify itself (ports that are closed by default, closed even after hand-shaking... surely for security issues).

Unfortunately, i can't identify the phone with communication initiated from PC via WiFi. According to wiki, there are (some) Android phones using ActiveSync protocol. ActiveSync also offers discovery mechanisms (the phone did show a list of all computers where it could connect).

I'm not expecting to identify all possible Android devices, but the requirement is to identify via WiFi without anything installed on them.